VORSTELLUNGEN » will keep on working hard on that. Highlights of Cata

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Beale Street had never hosted this kind of celebration before. Thats because the Memphis Grizzlies?never had a high-priced free agent say yes. Chandler Parsons ended that drought for the Grizzlies, agreeing to come to Memphis on a four-year maximum deal worth more than $94 million.The franchise wanted its fans to share in the joy of Parsons arrival, so they turned his introductory news conference into a festival, lining up food trucks outside FedEx Forum and inviting the public into the plaza to welcome Parsons.This is the guy weve been seeking for a number of years, Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said as Parsons sat by his side and smiled, sporting a skinny-fitting plum suit and dark blue loafers with no socks. He fits the description for that perimeter star to a T that weve been searching so aggressively for for so many years.?Why did Parsons choose Memphis? What will be different from his injury-marred, disappointing, two-season stint with the Dallas Mavericks? How will the part-time model fit with the Grizzlies gritty culture? During a conversation with ESPN.com, Parsons talked about his official introduction to Memphis -- while chowing down a burger and fries.ESPN: Should it be Grit, Grind n Glamour now that youre with the Grizzlies?Parsons: No, I dont think so. Grit n Grind is something that this core group of guys with Marc [Gasol], Mike [Conley], Z-Bo [Zach Randolph] and Tony [Allen]?have established here. Its something special. Its in their DNA, and its in their culture and in this community. Maybe not by looking at me -- I kind of have the pretty-boy tag -- but thats not me. I compete, I play hard, Im tough. Thats kind of how I got my niche in the league, doing all the dirty things. Playing under Kevin McHale, I was taught from my rookie year to take charges, dive on the floor.As my career has progressed, Ive changed a little bit, but thats who I am as well. I think you add a guy like me whos hungry and willing to take the big shot and really be the versatile forward that this teams been missing. I think my game really complements their game and vice versa. Grit n Grind or not, I think were going to mesh very, very well together, and I think those guys are a perfect group of players to play with me.ESPN: Theyve established a very tough, physical identity. What do you think you can bring to Memphis that the Grizzlies havent had?Parsons: I think I can just bring that forward who can ... make big plays and score and, like I said, can take the big shot and play off those other four guys. Im very unselfish. Im very versatile. I think I can make those guys better, as well as they can make me better. I can stretch the floor and shoot when we go big with the two big guys inside, and I can get out and run and play the 4 when we go small. I think I just help them with more of a versatile look.ESPN: You had max offers and meetings with the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies in the first 24 hours of free agency. You committed to Memphis on the spot after that meeting. Why Memphis over Portland?Parsons: It was a very, very tough decision. I have nothing but respect for Portland and what theyre doing, and I think they have a tremendous future. This really just came down to a gut feeling of mine. I felt extremely comfortable with the management and coach [David] Fizdale. We hit it off right away. We had a past relationship with him being my coach in the Rookie-Sophomore game, and I actually randomly saw him in Orlando with my parents and stopped and talked to him for like 30 minutes when he was still with Miami.Just looking at his body of work with what hes done with wings in the league and his vision for me, it just felt right. It basically came down to me being comfortable and trusting the coaching staff. They made unbelievable points about how my usage rate has been down my entire career. The way hes going to use me in this offense, I think I can really flourish and be the best player I can be.ESPN: You felt the same way going to Dallas, and that role never really materialized like you envisioned. Why do you think it didnt happen in Dallas and why will it be different in Memphis?Parsons: I was only there two years. The first year was about getting my feet wet. We had good scorers with Monta [Ellis] and Dirk [Nowitzki]?doing their thing, and I kind of just tried to fill a role and do anything I can. Obviously, I was sidelined with unfortunate injuries, which was completely out of my control. But I never really had the opportunity, the keys to the offense. I loved playing for coach [Rick] Carlisle. He was very, very good for me, and we have a special relationship that will continue even though Im not playing there, and learning from a guy like Dirk was great.But this just seems like a new, fresh start for me. I have a young head coach that is a huge fan of my game and is just simply looking at numbers and seeing that my usage rate hasnt been up. If you look at guys whose [production] compares to mine, comparing usage rate numbers, mines extremely low. I think [Fizdale] is going to obviously bump that up, and with the personnel thats on the roster right now for Memphis, its a perfect fit. Well be able to play off each other very well. Coach Fizdales system, the way he coached guys like LeBron [James]?and [Dwyane] Wade and Joe Johnson in Atlanta, thats how I want to be coached. Thats how he sees me.ESPN: Are you disappointed that the Mavericks -- and especially Mark Cuban, considering your relationship -- didnt really make much of an effort to keep you?Parsons: It was more shocking. It is a business and I understand that aspect of it. I think the fans of Dallas were great, but they dont really understand the whole story of everything. If they did, they wouldnt have negative feelings towards me. Everything I did in Dallas was for the team and for the organization and for the city. Whether thats recruiting DeAndre Jordan, putting my absolute heart into that, although it didnt work, that was to make our franchise better and to help us win games. Getting hurt two times, thats just bad luck. Its kind of sickening when you see fans write something about your injuries or my knees, like thats in my control.I obviously wish things went a little bit differently in Dallas and that I was healthy and able to play in the playoffs, but like I said, everything Ive done for them, whether it was coming off the bench or getting hurt or recruiting, that was all for [the fans]. I have no bad feelings toward them. I obviously thought I was going to be in Dallas a lot longer than I was, but its a business and Mark has to make decisions. He makes mostly all of them, so this was on him.ESPN: People look at you and see you as a Hollywood kind of guy, a guy who enjoys the nightlife and being around celebrities and that sort of thing. What made Memphis a fit?Parsons: This is a perfect example of how people can be misunderstood and misjudged. This decision was clearly based on basketball and fit and me being comfortable. I think its kind of strange when players get knocked for having off-the-court marketing deals. I enjoy that kind of stuff, but at the same time, I understand that I dont have any of that without basketball. Me making this decision to come to Memphis should show everybody that basketball is obviously my No. 1 priority. I think we have something special here and were going to win here. All the other stuff comes after that. Hollywood or pretty boy, whatever, I just made a decision to come to the grit n grind city of Memphis for a reason. Thats to play basketball and win.ESPN: You had a lot of conversations with Mike Conley during the free-agency process. You were in the position to be recruited instead of doing the recruiting. What did he tell you that might have helped sell you on Memphis?Parsons: First of all, that he was coming back to Memphis, that that was a done deal. That was a big point for me. I wanted him here, for me to know before going into the meeting [with the Grizzlies]. He was just honest. He told me about the city, told me about the culture, told me about how unbelievable the fans are here. Its just a match. Hes one of those guys thats just such an unselfish, hard-nosed, tough player that Ive always respected my whole career. Im just glad Ive got a chance now to have him as the leader of this team.ESPN: Grizzlies fans are excited because youre the biggest free agent who has picked Memphis. Theyve got the hashtag #Chose901. Can you get other guys next summer and in the years down the road to join you here?Parsons: This season is going to tell a lot. Obviously, we have to compete and we have to win. Its got to be a good situation for free agents to come here. Just because I have a reputation for being a recruiter doesnt mean that guys are automatically going to come here, but if we win at a high level, then I think it puts Memphis in that destination spot. Although guys might like the bright lights and big cities, youre in the NBA to play basketball and compete for championships. I think we have a really, really good core here. We have an unbelievable coaching staff. Now we just have to put it all together. Theo Pinson Jersey . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Spencer Dinwiddie Nets Jersey . Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season. J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds. https://www.netsrookiesshop.com/Rodions-Kurucs-City-Edition-Jersey/ . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Brooklyn Nets Jerseys . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Dzanan Musa Jersey . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams.Catalans Dragons head coach Laurent Frayssinous insists climbing to second place in Super League will not affect the team’s “humble” approach to matches. The Dragons recorded their fifth win in succession and fourth on the road this season by thrashing Hull Kingston Rovers 40-0 at the KC Lightstream Stadium on Thursday.They are now just two points adrift of league leaders Warrington Wolves, having won seven of their 10 fixtures so far this year. Frayssinous told Sky Sports: We have looked good since the pre-season, but we dont want to see too far. We want to keep on building, keep on staying humble.We all know the Super League season is very hard and long, so we dont want to be worried about that [the league table] and we want to keep on performing on the field.Catalans ran in seven tries against Hull KR, but Frayssinous was particularly pleased with the shutout. Catalans Dragons Glenn Stewart talks through his performance against Hull KR at the touchscreen He added: At the moment, what is good for us and what we can be proud of is our defence the last few weeks.Maybe today we come at the point of a very good defence. In the past, Catalans Dragons have been playing good footy but not consistent enough in defence, so we will keep on working hard on that. Highlights of Catalans Dragons away win at Hull KR in Super League Catalans flew back to France immediately after the win, but they will be back in England to face St Helens next Thursday.ddddddddddddFrayssinous said: We just played out fifth game in 18 days and three travels. We have got a good squad and depth in our squad, and we know what type of team we will face next Thursday. It will be a tough trip and we want to do our best next week. Hull KR head coach James Webster reflects on the defeat to Catalans Dragons Hull KR head coach James Webster lavished praise on Catalans but felt injuries and a congested fixture schedule had taken their toll on his team.He said: That was as good a performance as Ive seen this year in Super League from Catalans. Take the first 10 minutes out of the game, when we couldnt get a foothold on it, and we struggled from thereon in.We have had a tough month - Easter can do that to you - and we werent able to rotate our squad. We were well and truly past our best this week and we need to regroup. Also See: Catalans run riot over Rovers Catalans fixtures Wolves v Saints battles Rugby league set of six ' ' '